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A brief history of banned numbers - Alessandra King

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TEDEd Animation

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They say the pen is mightier than the sword, and authorities have often agreed. From outlawed religious tracts and revolutionary manifestos to censored and burned books, we know the potential power of words to overturn the social order. But as strange as it may seem, some numbers have also been considered dangerous enough to ban. Alessandra King details the history behind illegal numbers.

What does “commensurable” mean? When are two quantities commensurable? And when are two quantities incommensurable?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alessandra King
  • Director Mauricio Vargas
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Producer Andrés F. Urbina
  • Storyboard Artist Mauricio Vargas
  • Character Designer Mauricio Vargas
  • Animator Leon Mejía
  • Compositor Leon Mejía
  • Composer Camilo Vega
  • Sound Designer Camilo Vega
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Julianna Zarzycki

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